Xonia
by GreysonLane
Summary: The Xonia region is built on unique traditions, diverse biomes, and a large number of trainers who all believe they are destined for greatness. When Grey, a teen from a small village in northeast Xonia begins his journey, new challenges and threats emerge around every corner.
1. Flicker

Having left the window open the previous night, Grey found himself awakening to a brisk breeze. The ice cold air swung right past his face like a cool smack, knocking the trainer to life. Quickly sitting up, the fifteen year old glanced around the room with a startled expression, as if he had thought someone had literally hit him with an ice cold glove. It would be hard to believe it was summer had the teen not been from Janest Village. As used to the cold as he was though, it still managed to catch him off guard once in a while.

As he reluctantly crawled out of bed, Grey began to process what day it was. "Today's the day," He quietly mumbled to himself, half smiling. Normally, the day a trainer got his first Pokémon was supposed to be the happiest of his young life, but for residence of the Xonia region, things weren't as simple. Still the opportunity to finally begin his next chapter was right in front of him, and there was no way he was going to let it slip by. As he mentally prepared himself, Grey tossed on his usual outfit, a gray hoodie and black jeans. To keep warm, he added a black wool cap to his ensemble, which covered up his brown curly hair. He was going to be spending a lot of time outside, so he knew to bundle up. As he laced up his black boots, the trainer walked through his bedroom door into the hall, his bright blue eyes flashing with confidence.

His one story house brought him straight towards the living room, on the other side of which was the front door. He could hear his sister's subtle snore coming from the couch, as he tiptoed past. _'I just need to get out the door. Even if she wakes up at that point, I'll have a lead.' _As he attempted to slip by, a branch spitefully fell to the ground outside the window, weighed down by the previous night's snow. One eye at a time, Bess woke up, just in time to catch her brother sprinting to the door. Wiping her messy red hair out of her face, the girl shouted "Where do you think you're going?"

Grey gulped and turned back around, rubbing the back of his head as he tried to think of a response. "Uh, I was just gonna head to the um… the thing." He responded vaguely, knowing that she knew the answer anyway. It wasn't that he wouldn't want to say goodbye to his older sibling, but rather that he didn't want to look stupid if he came back empty handed. If he said his goodbyes now, it would only make failure sting that much more.

"How many of you are there is year?" Bess asked, still half mumbling from her sudden awakening. "Last year you were screwed by the high turnout. I mean, how do they think its fair to distribute three Pokémon to eleven people?"

Grey hesitated before answering. "It's just four this year, Bess. This could really be it, y'know?"

The girl didn't respond, instead she just stood up and slowly walked over to her younger brother with a stern face. Without warning, she leaned in and gave him a hug. "Then I guess I should be prepared to be here by myself, huh? I mean, Mom and Dad come around sometimes, but on a day to day basis, it's always just been us. Just promise me you'll take care of yourself." As she pulled back, Grey could have sworn that a tear came to her eye.

"I'll be fine Bess, don't worry. I'll be back to visit, if I do end up leaving today, that is." Grey replied with a soft smile as he walked towards the door. "Love you, Bess." He said as he walked out into the cold, the wind kicking some snow from the ground into the doorway.

After a good ten minute walk in the 30°F streets of Janest, Grey finally arrived at the village square. Dozens of people were standing in the crowd, watching the podium for any sign of an announcement. Rather than join the crowd of spectators, the trainer hopeful walked behind the stage, where he was greeted by a pair of familiar faces. "Zeek!" He called out to the younger of the two brothers.

The teen was about his age and size, and sported a brown red colored jacket. The brown eyed, tan skinned boy ran over to greet his friend, as they exchanged a brief fist bump. "Yo, Grey. How have you been? Zeke questioned in a boisterous voice. I haven't seen you in weeks! I was worried you'd dropped out or something."

Grey chuckled a bit, rubbing his neck as he responded. "Yeah, I guess I've been trying to get ready. I mean, I know all I need to know, and it's not really possible to train for this event, but at least I'm prepared mentally. Besides, I couldn't be seen fraternizing with the competition." Grey laughed. As the moment passed, Grey dwelled on his own statement a bit. "That reminds me, do you know who else is coming? I'm surprised it's such a small crowd this year. Only half of the people eliminated last year are coming back, right?"

"That's right!" came a voice from behind the two, the older brother that Zeke had been with. "Other than you two, the participants this time are Mona from up north and Skye from the outskirts. Skye wasn't even in town last year, so we have contestants who are no shows." The man rubbed his scruffy chin, his blue overcoat dancing in the cool wind. "I believe they all went to other towns to participate. I guess they were too impatient to wait another year for a chance to get their Pokémon. Well, whatever. Makes life easier for you two."

"Thanks, Kull." Zeke said to his older brother. "Mona was the underdog last year. I doubt she'll give us that much trouble this time around."

"I hope so." Grey mumbled, uncertainty in his voice. "I don't know much about Skye, but I did here that he's the favorite to get first pick. Pretentious or not, he's apparently supposed to be a big deal."

"It's almost time to begin, you two," Kull said, gesturing them towards the stage. "Mona and Skye are already up there, and I think the crowd has waited long enough. Let's get things started!" Kull played air guitar on his last statement much to Grey's discomfort. Zeke, on the other hand, joined in. If there was any doubt that the two were brothers, that moment certainly cleared it up.

As they walked on stage, the two boys took the two seats closest to the stairs, as the other two chairs were already occupied. Next to Zeke was a pale skinned girl, who seemed rather meek and nervous. Despite this, she adorned herself in fancy clothes and jewelry, something that seemed a bit inappropriate given the circumstances. Her bright green dress was almost doomed to get dirty through the days proceedings. Further down the line, almost directly center stage was the final contestant, Skye. The teen looked about two years older than Zeke and Grey, and was dressed in dark gold colored wool coat, being the only person who was clearly not used to the Janest weather. On his feet were combat boots, with laces tied so tight one would be forgiving for thinking the seventeen year old just exited the military. Skye briefly met eyes with Grey, causing a chill to go down the younger boy's spine.

Snapping back to attention, Grey watched as Kull walked towards the podium, grabbing the microphone in hand. The young man greeted the crowd of at least one hundred villagers with a smile, waiting for their applause to simmer down before beginning his speech. "Hello everyone, and welcome to the fourteenth annual Trainer Qualification Ceremony! As you all know, my name is Kull Branders, the Gym Leader of Janest Town. As such, it is my honor to introduce you all to the contestants for this years ceremony! First, we have my own younger brother, Zeke! Next to him on the left is Mona. Then on each end are Grey and Skye! The four of them will be competing to find out which one will be able to start with one of three fabulous Pokémon!" Kull held up a large posted, sporting pictures of the three available Pokémon. "Here are your three selections, imported straight from the Kalos region. Chespin, a Grass-type, Fennekin, the Fire-type, and finally the Water-type, Froakie!" Putting down the board, Kull pointed his finger towards the opposite end of the stage. The second set of stairs led straight towards the Janest Woods entrance. "These three Pokémon are hiding somewhere within the woods, in a spot that correlates to their own types. Each contestant will need to find one of these three Pokémon, and then capture them. Each trainer will only be given a single Pokéball, and as none of our contestants have a Pokémon of their own yet, they will need to convince the creature to join them through negotiation." Kull gestured for the four trainers to stand up and take their place at the forest entrance. "Remember, there are other Pokémon in the forest as well, and unlike the ones we are giving away, they are completely wild! Please use caution as you make your way through the woods."

The four trainers stood side by side at the entrance, waiting for their cue to move. "Good luck, Grey." Zeke murmured under his breath.

"Same to you, buddy." Grey responded in kind. "And good luck to you guys too," he added, including Mona and Skye. The fourteen year old girl gave a shy smile and nod, while Skype simply brushed the comment off.

"Begin!" Kull shouted, causing the four trainer to dart into the woods, each taking a seperate path. Not watching his competition, Grey decided to dart off to the left. He knew there was a pond in that direction, one that very well had a chance of holding the Water-type Pokémon, Froakie._ 'This is it… I can do this.' _The teen assured himself, as he disappeared into the woods.

Even after forty five minutes had passed, Grey finally arrived at the lake. Sure enough, a bubbling could be seen coming from the water. "That might be it!" Grey exclaimed wading into the water. When he was ankle deep, he heard a splash followed by a weighted feeling on his head. The Froakie bounced off the boys head and onto the land, giving him a blank stare. "Uh… Hey Froakie." Grey started slowly. He knew he was supposed to convince the Pokémon to join him, but he couldn't figure out how. "So, would you like to join me? I mean, I need a Pokémon, and you're here, so why not?" The Froakie stared at him for a moment, croaking gently as it processed the trainer's somewhat poorly constructed offer. After an awkward silence, the small frog leapt back over the trainers head and dived back in the water. "Yup… that could have gone better." Grey mumbled to himself as he walked back onto to dry land. A chilly breeze blasted him in the face as he suddenly realized his lapse in judgment. "Okay, not smart." He shouted at himself, as he collapsed into a ball on the snowy ground, shivering. "Never go into water in this weather. Lesson l-l-learned." He could see the Froakie staring at him, almost as if it were internally laughing at him.

The only thing that snapped Grey out of his icy funk was an odd shriek emenating from a nearby area of the woods. "What was that?" He wondered to himself, trying desperately to ignore is freezing feet. He stumbled over to investigate, another shriek sent a flock of Spearow flying out of the trees. The sound was high pitch, and sounded like it was coming from a small Pokémon. Grey arrived at the scene to see two Pokémon, a Caterpie, and a Doduo. The Caterpie continued to scream, as the Flying-type continued to peck at it. "Hang on!" Grey shouted as he ran towards the action, scaring the Doduo off. The little Bug-type attempted to flee as well, but simply passed out from its injuries. "Hang in there, little guy." Grey cooed gently as he scooped up the insect into his arms. When he found a safe looking spot, the boy placed the Pokémon on a bed of fallen leaves. Grabbing some dryish twigs, the young trainer started a fire, placing his feet beside it to warm up. Grabbing the first aid kit from his knapsack, the boy began to treat the Caterpie's wounds. "Hang on. I'll get you out of here soon." The Caterpie opened its eyes and watched the human bandage him up. The little creature began to well up before losing consciousness. He never thought that anyone, human or Pokémon, would do something for him like this.

The small Fennekin walked out of the nice, insulated cave upon smelling something to eat. Even though she knew she was supposed to be hiding from the contestants, the little fox couldn't ignore the delicious scent of baked berries. As she approached the smell, the Fire-type was startled by a trap suddenly falling over her head. numerous sticks had been bundled together to create a trap that was almost custom made for her. As she tried to tackle her way out, a figure approached her. Skye had a small smile on his face as he bent down to meet the creature at eye level. "Hello there. My name is Skye Lawson. If you want to get out of here, all you need to do is let me catch you." The trainer stared at the fox for a response, but was only met by a terrified stare. The small creature quaked in fear, its freedom having been suddenly snatched away. Skye rubbed his chin, as a trickle of guilt started to pour down his chest. With a sigh, he lifted the wooden trap off of the poor defenseless Pokémon, before walking off. "Fine, nevermind then. Sorry." Despite his apathetic attitude, Fennekin followed him. Something about the trainer intrigued the young Pokémon, and she wanted to learn more about him. Skye turned around to find the curious Fire-type wagging its tail behind him. The boy simply stood there, confused by the turn of events.

The sun had begun to set as the competition began its sixth hour. Mona walked through the woods timidly, avoiding the gazes of wander Hoot-Hoots as she ventured ever deeper. The teenage girl cursed the short sunlight hours of Janest Village, which left her in the dark at the early hour of 4:00 PM. The darker it got, the faster her pace was, as if she was running from the night. It wasn't long before she found herself faced with a massive tree. "This is the Great Pine of Janest Woods," she mentioned to herself, temporarily putting her fears aside to investigate. "Maybe one of the Pokémon is hiding inside." Pensively, the girl knocked on the tree trunk. A buzzing sound could be heard as a frightened Combee flew out of the tree. The girl jumped back in surprise, but quickly composed herself. "Well, that's not the Pokémon I wanted. She said, as she turned to leave.

Suddenly, possibly in defense of its frightened young, a Vespiquen descended from up high. The large bee glared at the girl, who became frozen in terror. As the bug positioned itself to attack, Mona dashed away, yelping in fear. The queen began her assault, summoning bees with her Attack Order. When suddenly a branch landed on her head.

The Chespin, who had been hiding up high in the Great Pine, Jumped down onto the large Bug-type, and began to ride it like a mechanical Tauros. The Vespiquen flung the brave little soldier off, and right into Mona's arms. Mona, forgetting about her perilous situation for a moment, looked down at the rodent with glee. "You saved me." She said sweetly to the exhausted Grass-type. A large buzz snapped her back to attention as she began to run. "Okay, maybe time to run out of here!" She screamed as she carried her savior through the woods, with Vespiquen in hot pursuit.

Zeke had been wandering around for hours with no luck, when he finally arrived at the pond. "Maybe there's something here." He thought to himself, having completely forgotten what his brother said about where the Pokémon would be hiding. Sure enough, Froakie greeted him in a similar fashion to the way that it had with Grey earlier (Though Zeke had enough sense to not enter the water), by jumping off his head. The two stared at each other silently, as Zeke tried to figure out exactly how to respond. Finally, the strange teen ran over to the Pokémon and jumped over it, landing just inches from its head. The frog Pokémon finally broke its gaze and began to panic, completely confused as to what was going on. Zeke laughed as the Pokémon hopped around in circles. "I thought you wanted to play leap frog. You jumped over me, so I jumped over you!" The teen continued to laugh, leaving Froakie in a bewildered state. Suddenly, the Water-type began to laugh as well, do solely to the sheer ridiculousness of the situation.

The crowd had long since dispersed, as most people had become sick of waiting for the contestants to emerge. Only Kull remained on the scene, and only out of obligation. "Man, I've never seen this event run so long. I hope they're okay in there." He mumbled to himself as he sat on the steps of the stage. A sudden scream brought him to his feet as Mona emerged, carrying Chespin in her arms. Behind her was Vespiquen still chasing her to the ends of the woods. "Hang on, Mona!" Kull cried out, grabbing a Pokéball from his belt. "Go, Vanillish! Hit the Vespiquen with Ice Beam!" The ice cream cone that emerged obeyed its orders and attacked the bee, injuring it and sending it back into the woods.

Kull returned the Pokémon and walked over to Mona, who had fallen to the ground, with the Grass-type still in her arms. "Thank you… Both of you saved me." She said to both Kull and Chespin. The Gym Leader responded with a gentle smile while Chespin gave a wide grin. "Chespin, I'd be honored if you would be my Pokémon. Will you?" The girl asked gently, presenting the small critter with her one and only Pokéball. Chespin responded by happily tapping the device, as a red light absorbed it. The ball shook a few times before clicking closed. Mona smiled and hugged the ball into her chest.

"Congratulations, Mona, you're the first one back." Kull said, turning back to the path to the woods. This time it was Skye approaching, a smug look swept across his face. "Perhaps I wasn't first, but it does look like I've succeeded in catching a Pokémon as well. That's good enough for me." The boy shrugged and walked off, not waiting for a response. Kull and Mona watched him leave without much of a response.

'_It's between Zeke and Grey now. Looks like they won't be able to travel together after all.' _As desperately as he tried to be impartial, Kull couldn't help but root for his brother, and to an extent Grey as well. He was disappointed by the situation, but things only got worse when Bess arrived. The young woman wrapped her arm around Kull and asked, "So where is my brother? Did he start his journey without saying goodbye to me?"

Kull looked at the ground. "Sorry, Bess. He and Zeke are still in there. Just the two of them left." The two went silent, not wanting to admit that they were rooting against each other. The quiet was broken by the third contestant to exit.

Zeke strode out holding his Pokéball up high. "Hey, look who finally has a Pokémon! He said to his brother, unaware of the situation. "Where's Grey? I wanted to show him my new Froakie." As he saw Mona holding a Pokéball the boy grimly grew aware of the situation.

"Zeke, Grey is the only one left in there. I'm going to get him now…" Kull said somberly. Congrats though, bro. You deserve it." The Gym Leader walked off into the woods to retrieve the final contestant.

The news ruined Zeke's celebratory mood. Not knowing how to react, he turned to his friend's sister, and saw that she was disappointed too. "I can't believe Grey lost. He knew those woods better than anyone. He's… going to be really upset, isn't he." Bess responded with a simple nod, as they waited for Grey to come home.

"I'm home, Bess!" Grey shouted as he walked in the door. The smell of his favorite curry filled the air, something that his sister only prepared on special occasions.

Bess walked in, forcing a big smile. "Don't worry, Grey. You'll get one next year." She claimed, though she wasn't entirely sure. Seeing that her brother wasn't upset, however, she decided to drop the subject. "So, the Zeke left just now, right? He certainly didn't waste any time." The two sat down at the table and began eating.

"Yeah, he's really motivated. He's got quite a bit to live up to, seeing as his brother is a Gym Leader. I guess he didn't want to wait another night to begin making a name for himself."

"Speaking of Kull, he told me you hadn't given the Pokéball back. Remember to bring it back to him." Bess said, returning to her normal, pushy, big sister esque ways.

"No problem. I'll bring it to him in the morning." Grey responded after a brief pause. The remainder of their conversation was littered with small talk, purposely avoiding the topic of the day. Grey didn't mention the reason why he had lost, or anything that had happened in the woods. That was just for him to know.

Early the next morning, Bess woke up to get ready for work. As she stumbled towards the kitchen she saw a note attached to the refrigerator. She rubbed her eyes and began reading it, her eyes welling up.

_Bess,_

_Yeah, I don't think I'll be home tonight. I've got plans. I'm heading out on an adventure with my new Pokémon. Don't wait up. Love you._

_Grey_

_P.S. Tell Kull not to expect that Pokéball back._

An emotional chuckle escaped the girls lips. "You son of a bitch, Grey. Can't you do anything like a normal person."

The sun began to rise as Grey was finally out of sight of his home town. On his shoulder lay a Caterpie, fully healed and ready to take on the adventure in front of them. "Alright Flicker. Let's do this. Next stop, the Pokémon League Championship."


	2. Powder

"C'mon Flick we've almost got it!" Grey shouted to his Caterpie, who had finally healed enough to battle. Their opponent was a wild Shinx, who had conveniently decided to attack their campsite just as they were waking up. "Hit it with one more Tackle!" the trainer commanded, prompting the little green bug to spring forward, landing squarely on the already injured creature. The small Electric-type was knocked back a good two feet, landing face first on the ground. "Alright, now it's time to catch… Oh damn it!" Grey's mood suddenly turned sour as he realized his oversight. 'I can't believe I forgot to buy Pokéballs!' The trainer thought, internally beating himself up about the situation.

Seeing the perfect opportunity to escape, the Shinx jumped to it's feet and ran off, as the much slower Caterpie attempted to pursue. "Flick, don't worry about it." Grey said, calling off his vicious caterpillar. The small Bug-type turned around, wondering if he had done something to disappoint his trainer. "It's okay, buddy. I just made a little mistake is all. You were amazing though!" The trainer said, trying to wipe the concerned look off of his partner's face. Having quickly realized that the one way language barrier that separated them was an issue he was going to deal with, Grey had started to learn how to read his Pokémon's emotions via other means. "Let's get moving. With any luck, we'll be able to reach Febriast Town by the end of the day. If you're tired, you can ride on my shoulder again." Flicker accepted the offer, crawling up the trainer's left pant leg, clinging to his jacket before perching onto his right shoulder.

The two had grown comfortable with each other rather quickly, and had settled into a routine despite only knowing each other for about two days. They had managed to make it through the Janest Woods, this time reaching the other side, bringing them to the Milky Plains, where they slept overnight. The name for the area was clear; Miltank were clearly the areas dominant species. They roamed around everywhere, and, thankfully for Grey, were relatively docile. The green trainer considered catching one, but knew it'd be better not to take on such a large opponent. Instead, the duo continued on their way, and had made it a third of the way through the plains before stopping to camp out the night before.

After they had been walking for about ten minutes when Grey turned to the Caterpie perched out on his shoulder. "Hey, Flick. That was a really great battle earlier. That Shinx never stood a chance. Maybe we should try our luck against a trainer next. I'm sure there's at least one floating around this area. What do you say?" Flicker hesitated for a moment, having to choose between his feelings of concern and doing what made his trainer had. After a moment, the Pokémon nodded, much to Grey's delight. "Great! Then rest up buddy. Today will be our first trainer battle!"

"Battle?" Came a voice from within the tall grass next to the path Grey walked on. The person who walked out was dressed in a light colored, long-sleeved shirt and red sweat pants. He appeared to be in his mid to late twenties, and had a noticeable farmer's tan (Apparently the weather must have just gotten warm enough for him to stop wearing turtlenecks). By his side was a Vivillon, brightly displaying its Ocean Pattern. "Vivillon and I would be up to it if you aren't too busy. My name's Connelly. Nice to meet ya!" The trainer's enthusiastic introduction was followed by an offer for a friendly handshake which Grey gladly accepted.

Not stopping to think about the situation, Grey nodded his head enthusiastically. "I'm Grey, and I accept!" At the sound of the words, his Caterpie shook nervously, an action that seemed to slip Grey's notice. Still, the brave green bug climbed off of his perch and stood facing the opposing Pokémon. His first real battle was going to be against another Bug-type, and one that was much larger than him and could fly. The idea caused the Pokeémon to tremble some more, but he quickly shook it off. If what his trainer wanted was for him to battle, then that's what he would do. After all, he'd be Doduo meat without Grey.

"Flicker, let's get things started with a String Shot!" Grey ordered, as Caterpie loosed as silky string at the butterfly.

Clearly, not intimidated, Connelly shook his head and smiled. "Use Quiver Dance to dodge, Vivi!" The Vivillon gracefully dances around the string, almost as if to make fun of the younger Pokémon's attempts.

Grey grinded his teeth in frustration, though it only took him a short moment to regain his composure. "Alright, let's teach them not to underestimate us. Charge at it and then Tackle!" Flicker ran straight at the Vivillion, who had stopped her ballet close enough to the ground for him to reach.

"Let's end this," Connelly said in a disappointed voice. His smile was gone, and he actually seemed to look a bit guilty for picking on a newbie. "Hurricane!" Vivillon's used it's powerful wings to kick up a huge gust, which blew the charging Caterpie farther back than he even started.

"Flick!" Grey shouted, as he chased his Pokémon with the wind. The Caterpie had landed on the ground hard, and was knocked out cold. The trainer sighed in relief that their were no injuries on his teammate, but guilt still took over. "Sorry Flick," He muttered apologetically, as he returned the Caterpie to its Pokéball. "I guess we weren't ready after all."

Connelly walked over and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Don't be too down on yourself, Kid. I guess I should have warned you that you were going up against a Gym Leader!" The man chuckled playfully as Grey's eyes grew wide.

"What? You're a Gym Leader?" He asked in a state of shock.

The man stopped laughing but retained a strong grin. "Well, former. I left the Augrannis Village Gym a few years back, but boy was I something back then." He chuckled once more as he sat down on the dirt road beneath him, his Vivillon gracefully landing next to him. "Listen, Grey. Every trainer needs a good kick in the ass when they first got started. I could tell by just one look that you were a little green behind the ears, so I decided to volunteer myself to be your bully." Connelly chuckled once more before continuing. "It's important to learn your own limitations. That's the benefit in being thoroughly crushed. You get the chance to examine your shortcomings, reevaluate, and come back strong, where as someone who wins endlessly is being setup to fail at the worst possible moment. That's the guy who gets crushed in the first round of the Pokémon League, Kid."

Grey had enough time during his opponents speech to process the 'Gym Leader' idea, and was able to start listening about halfway through. "Yeah, that makes sense…" He responded hesitantly. "Wait, if you're from Augrannis Village, what are you doing all the way out here? Aren't the plains a bit of a trip for you?"

The man once again grew serious, though he still seemed rather calm and loosely wound. "I came here because I've heard complaints of a wild Pokémon that's been wandering around causing problems. It's been known to bite trainers, and even came close to starting a brush fire. I'm here to take care of it." Rubbing his chin, the man took a good up and down look at Grey. "You know what? If you'd like you can come with me. It seems that you could use the real world experience. Whataya say?"

Grey thought about it for a second, nearly mentally smacking himself for even wondering. _'This is the opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to learn from a master trainer!' _"Thank you so much!" Grey cried out, stopping just short of hugging the man. Sensing that he was getting carried away, Grey took a step back and put on his serious face. "Flicker is resting, so I guess I'm just an observer."

Connelly smiled and nodded. "Nah, don't worry about it, Kid. I've already got a plan in motion. Now let's head out." The man walked back toward the tall grass, and put his fingers to his lips, indicating for Grey to keep quiet. As they entered, Vivillon instinctively took to the skies, spotting them from above.

The two walked threw the six foot high brush for at least ten minutes before arriving at a small clearing. The small spot was covered with soot. Turning to Grey, Connelly leaned in, and spoke quietly in his ear. "This spot wasn't here when I came through a few hours ago. It must be close." With that, the man gestured for Grey to follow further. Sure enough, it was only minutes before a growling could be heard through the rustle of the grass. Awaiting in a fire-made clearing was a small, but ferocious, Houndour. The dog Pokémon was in position to pounce, as Vivillon quickly swooped in to block its exit from behind. With rocks on either side of the mini clearing, the Fire-type was trapped. "This must be the critter that's been causing all these problems. Houndour and Houndoom packs usually run through here in the spring. This pup must have been trapped here for at least a month." Connelly shook his head and looked at Vivillon, who took an appropriate battle stance.

Grey looked at the creature in concern. The Houndour seemed aggresive, but it was certainly something smaller and much less threatening than he had expected. "What are you going to do, battle it?" He asked the former Gym Leader, as he began to feel bad for the young Pokémon.

"No. If I battle it here, it might start another brush fire. I need to deter it from spreading flames… at any cost. That's where Vivi comes in. Vivillon are known for a special move known as Powder. With it, they can coat enemies in a natural gunpowder, essentially causing them to explode. Once the source of the flames is eliminated, Vivillon will be able to extinguish any remaining flames with her wings."

"Wait! Explode!?" Grey shouted, causing Hounder to further tense up, its mouth filling with smoke. "That'll kill it! You can't do that!"

Connelly's face grew grim, as he shook his head once more. "If there was another way to guarentee everyone's safety, believe me, I'd do it. Sadly, this Pokémon is out of its natural environment, and is throwing the ecosystem off. If it won't cooperate, then we have to take drastic measures. I'm sorry, but this is a real life experience that you need to have. Vivillon, Powder!"

Spores began raining from the wings of the butterfly, causing Grey to jump into action. In a matter of moments, he was standing over the aggressive and frightened Houndour, as the two of them were covered in powder. Fumes continued to pour from the Fire-types mouth, as everyone froze.

"Grey…" Connelly murmured in a state of shock, realizing the life threatening predicament he had somehow involved the teen in. "Do not make any sudden movements or sounds… Walk slowly away, and do not provoke the Houndour until you are a safe fifty feet away."

Grey stood still, refusing to move. "You said this Houndour is lost, right?" He asked, trying to avoid showing how absolutely terrified he was. "If I bring it back to its family, then… Then it can live, right?" Bending down, the young trainer met the Houndour face to face. The Pokémon growled and took a step back. "Please, calm down." He said gently, not breaking eye contact. "If you trust me, I promise I can bring you home. If not, and you decide to attack, we're both…" Just as he was about to say it, the gravity of the moment finally hit. With that, he was unable to finish his thought.

The Houndour stared at the trainer with an obvious look of distrust. Every interaction the dog had with a human ended in violence, and he was now expected to believe that this one wouldn't as well. Still, the human had a point. He gained nothing from blowing himself up, even if he took a human out with him. In addition, the human risked himself, something that left the Fire-type puzzled. The Pokémon calmed the fumes in its throat, and bowed its head, mocking obedience.

With that, Grey and Connelly both breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"I hope there was enough hot water for you in there, Grey." Connelly called out from the cabin's main room. "I had a pretty long shower this morning."

The two had walked back to the cabin Connelly had been staying in, a small shack on the outskirts of Febriast Town, in order for Grey and the Houndour to rinse off the Powder that was on them. The wild Pokémon had reluctantly entered the cabin bathroom, mostly do to the danger that his body be covered in Powder presented, and partially out of curiosity towards Grey. Despite both hating water and people, the Pokémon allowed itself to be bathed, however briefly. As he walked out of the bathroom, Grey placed his hat back on, covering up his wet hair. The rest of his clothes had been put on in the bathroom. "I wasn't really worried about the temperature of the water. rinsing off with anything was fine." He responded, still a bit shellshocked. The trainer grew a bit disappointed by the sight of the Houndour shaking his body dry before walking out the cabin doorway. "Do you think he's going to try and leave?" The young trainer questioned his host.

Connelly shook his head. "I don't know, but it seems that he understands his situation. I just hope you understand yours. You'll be travelling with a Pokémon much stronger than your own, and a wild one at that. Bringing him into town could be a mistake, and it's one you'll be held responsible for. Do you think you're prepared to deal with that, Kid?"

Grey nodded with a soft smile. "Yeah. I think we'll be alright. Beside, it's better than the alternative. This way, I can try and get him to his pack, and he's no longer terrorizing the plains. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Connelly grinned, closed his eyes and rubbed his chin. "I guess you're a better trainer than me today, Grey. I'm headed to the train back home in the morning, so Ill bring you guys as far as the city limits. From their, you're on your own. Got it, Kid?"

The teen smiled, looking outside at the Houndour, sitting outside the door, and then at his Caterpie's Pokéball, which sat on the wooden table beside him. "Yeah, I've got it. But don't worry… I'm not alone."


	3. Counseling

"Houndour, quit it!" Grey shouted to his wild companion, who had taken it upon himself to fetch them breakfast. Unfortunately, the meal that the Fire-type was planning involved charring a live Pachirisu that had wandered by. The frightened squirrel climbed up a tree on the side of the road, much to the new trainer's relief. "We're just a few minutes away from town, buddy. Once we're there we can stop in a Pokémon Center and grab some lunch." The trainer gestured for Houndour to follow, and was obeyed with only a slight reluctant snarl. The feral Pokémon caught up, just as the group reached the train station on the outskirts of town.

"Well, this is my stop." Connelly announced with a bow. "It's time for me to head back to Augrannis. If you're ever in town stop by and see me. I live at the highest point in town, so you can't miss it. Just take the road another five minutes and you'll be in the main part of town." The elder trainer walked off, only to stop at the door in front of the quiet little train station. "Take care of yourself, and those Pokémon, too. Do that, and you'll be a great trainer someday, Kid." With his last parting advice, the man took his leave, his Vivillon still flying obediently behind him.

Grey smiled and waved the man off, wordlessly thanking him. In just one day the man had given him enough advice to last him through a year. Sure, he'd most likely have brushed it off had it not come from a former Gym Leader, but that was a point that the teen failed to consider. "Let's go, boy. Once we get through this town we can look for your family."

The pair walked on, finally arriving in the town proper after a few minutes. Seeing the Pokémon Center, Grey turned his walk into a sprint, dashing towards the building. He didn't want to roast a wild Pokeémon for it, but he certainly needed the food as badly as his new travel companion. Suddenly, an agitated yelp brought the young man to a screeching halt. "Houndour!" He shouted in shock, as he turned to see the Pokémon in question trapped in a net. The culprit was a young blonde haired man, a few inches taller, and likely a few years older, than Grey was.

"What are you yelling about, outsider? I'm simply removing this stray from the streets of our fine city. You should be thanking me. After all, it could have bitten you." Adjusting his glasses, the man gave Grey a cold stare.

"He's not a stray!" Grey retaliated, soon realizing he didn't have a leg to stand on. "I mean… he is wild, but he's with me! Who are you to decide what happens to the wild Pokémon here!?"

"I'm glad you asked." The blonde responded smugly, shaking his head. "I am Alexander, and I live in this town. As president of the neighborhood watch, I have taken it upon myself to rid our streets of any pesky strays. Unfortunately, that includes this filthy little tag along too. If you were able to keep him out of trouble, you would have caught him already."

Grinding his teeth, Grey tried to think of a way out of the mess he was in. Houndour's nervous growling was only making the trainer more tense. "Well, I'm taking him down south to the Skeletal Canyon to reunite him with his family. I don't need to catch him to keep him under control. Besides, I just don't have any Pokéballs. He's done nothing wrong!"

"Don't lose your temper, traveller." Alexander replied in a patronizing tone. "If you want to prove you can handle this wretch, you can do so with a battle. If you can beat me, I won't have any doubts." The man pulled out a Pokéball and tossed it lazily on the ground. "Tyrogue, if you would." The purple Pokémon, appeared already in fighting stance, which prompted a bark from the hostage dog.

Grey bit his lip, unsure of whether or not to proceed. _'I've only ever had one battle before, and I lost. Should I really take a risk on a battle like this? The stakes seem a bit too high but… I don't think I have a choice.' _After a pause and a deep sigh, the trainer put on a poker face, and reached for his sole Pokéball. "Let's go, Flick." He called out, as the green bug emerged. Unexpectedly, the Pokémon immediately turned its head to the side, ignoring the opponent in front of it. "Flick, come on! Use Tackle!" Grey commanded, frustration seeping out through his words. Still, the Bug-type choose not to respond, instead curling up on the ground and faking a nap.

"Yes, this seems quite accurate to my predictions." The arrogant Alexander commented, as he withdrew his Pokémon. Reaching for the net, the boy began to make off with the dog.

"Houndour!" Grey roared, charging in to attack the man himself. The older man retaliated with a swift punch in the gut, knocking the wind out of the teen and causing him to fall to floor. Caterpie looked up from his pretend slumber, but still stayed still unsure of whether or not to help. As he lied on the ground, Grey watched Houndour get carried off in the net, draped over Alexander's shoulder. _'I'm sorry.'_

"Hey, are you okay?" came a gentle voice from behind Grey. Unable to turn to face whoever it was, the trainer could only rely on his ears to identify him. The young man seemed to have a int of an accent, though he was still rather easy to understand. "Let me help you up." The boy offered, pulling the trainer slowly to his feet. "The Pokémon Center is two buildings down. Let's get you to a chair." The tan skinned boy picked Grey's arm up and through it over his shoulder. Grey, still too winded to speak could only stare at his Caterpie as it began to follow behind.

Within two minutes the group had arrived at the Pokémon Center. The two teens sat down at a table as Grey caught his breath. Flicker, knowing that his trainer would be upset with him, stayed back by a few feet.

"I'm okay now…" Grey insisted still panting. "I need to get Houndour back."

The other boy shook his head. "I saw what happened to you. If you go back now, what do you think will happen. Your Pokémon won't obey you, and you need to figure out why."

Grey grew annoyed, though remained polite to the person who had just helped him. "Listen, I appreciate the advice, but I don't know you. Who are you to try and fix my problems?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself." The boy responded, flustered. "I'm Blair, and I'm something of a Pokémon Counselor. Pokémon and their trainer's are separated by a language barrier, and are usually born into entirely different ways of life. My job is to help trainer's better understand their Pokémon. Look." Blair pulled out a license, and flashed it in front of his newest acquaintance.

Grey hadn't ever heard of a Pokémon Counselor, and Blair seemed rather young. Still, it was a convenient situation for him, and the license appeared real enough. "Alright, so are you saying you're here to help me better understand Flick?" Grey asked with genuine interest.

Blair chuckled for no real reason. "Well, I'd like to try to help. It seems that you're Caterpie is trying to tell you something. When did these behaviors start?"

Quickly growing absorbed in his makeshift therapy session, Grey responded, "Just today. I've only had him a few days, but I can promise he's never remotely disagreed with me."

Blair scratched his head for a moment. "So what happened the last time you sent him out. Is there anything that could have altered his mood or his relationship with you?"

Stopping to think about it, Grey recalled the events of the previous day. "Ah, I know!" He shouted suddenly, drawing some attention from nearby trainers. "We had a battle, which we lost. Do you think that was it? He's upset that we lost?"

"No…" Blair mumbled, trying to concoct his own theory. "Pokémon are battlers by nature, so losing on its own shouldn't be this traumatizing for it. Did you ask Flicker if he wanted to battle?"

"Of course I did. I asked him if he was ready for a trainer battle, and he nodded."

"How did he act as he nodded? Was it an immediate response, or did he seem unsure?" Blair's questioning became faster and faster pace as he started to uncover the source of the problem.

"It was… I mean he might have… hesitated a bit… Wait! Do you think that's it? Why would he be upset at me for that?"

Blair sighed and shrugged. "It could be for any number of deep-seated reasons. My guess, though, is that he wanted to make you happy. He agreed to it for you, and expected you to, in turn, make sure he wouldn't have to take on a challenge above his level. That is an important part of being a trainer. You need to know what you can and can't handle, as well as what your Pokémon can take on as well."

Grey dwelled on the information that was given to him for a good minute, before getting up and walking to his teammate. Bending down to the Caterpie's level, Grey met the creature eye to eye. "Flick, I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't stop to think about the fact that you could get hurt or worse, and should have known that battling a fully evolved Pokémon was something that we weren't ready for. Can you forgive me for that?" The Caterpie paused, looking into his trainer's eyes, before firing off a small String Shot and laughing. Grey laughed as well and moved in closer. "I'm glad. Listen, I need to go save Houndour. If you're willing I could really use you as a battle partner. What do you say." Flicker nodded furiously, a determined flame in his eye. "Good, I can tell you're just as ready as I am. Once this is done, we'll have Houndour back, and out first battle victory. Let's go!" Flicker, climbed up Grey's shoulder, and the two head out the door. in the doorway, Grey realized what he had forgotten to do. "Thanks for your help, Blair. We'll be back later!" Blair smiled, nodded and waved, mouthing good luck just in time to watch the trainer dart off into the distance.

"Stop!" Grey shouted as he darted towards Alexander, who had taken a while to finally reach the pound. Carrying an antsy Houndour had slowed him down, and the walk across town ended up being a lot easier for Grey, even with a handicap. "Flicker and I challenge you to a battle. If we win, then you have to give us back Houndour!"

Alexander simply shook his head and scoffed, placing the net on the ground. "I'm shocked that you want to repeat such a farce. Fine, but if I win, then your Caterpie goes with this mutt. Double or nothing is fair, right?"

Grey cringed at the thought, but Flicker simply jumped off his shoulder and on to the Ground. "Flick, you sure, buddy?" The teen asked, not wanting to push the Pokémon. He had only just become a trainer, but he was already attached to his companion. The thought of being separated frightened him, and he certainly didn't have the funds to adopt him back from the pound. Flicker's eyes burned with passion, as he furiously nodded his head. _'If Flicker's this sure, then I know we can win.'_ "Fine I accept. Now send out your Pokémon!"

"Tyrogue, come out with Fake Out!" The opposing trainer called out, wasting no time in giving his first command. The Fighting-type came out running, as it prepared to run right into Flicker. Just as the Caterpie prepared to move out of the way, the purple creature faked right, throwing him off. A quick smack in the face quickly followed, knocking Flicker for a loop. "Great! Now hit it with a Mach Punch!" Another quick Punch to the face threw the Bug-type back.

"Flick, get him back with a Tackle!" Grey ordered in a panic, realizing he may have made a mistake.

"Not so fast. Tyrogue can counter that with a Low Sweep!" Alexander bellowed out. As Flicker did his best to dash over to the Tyrogue, he felt his legs being kicked out from under him and tripped.

"No, Flick!" Grey yelled, frightened that he might have lost both Pokémon for good. "We can still do this!" Caterpie stood back up, as determined as ever. A sudden white glow covered the Pokémon, blinding the opponent and putting the battle on a momentary hold. As the light faded, the Pokémon that was revealed looked completely different. "Flick, you evolved!" Grey cried out in glee to his new Metapod, whose eyes trained directly on the shocked Tyrogue ahead. "Now let's win this!"

As the shock wore off, Alexander began to laugh. "He may be bigger and stronger, but he certainly doesn't seem like he can move. Tyrogue, put that thing out of its misery with a Tackle!" The Pokémon darted at its foe once more, though a bit warier than earlier.

"Flick, Harden your body, then counter with your own Tackle!" Grey shouted, his confidence finally renewed. The Tyrogue only hurt itself when contact was made with the Metapod, and was soon thrown back by a retaliating Tackle. Flicker's hard body hit the Fighting-type like a freight train, making it difficult for the Pokémon to stand back up.

"We won't lose this to a sitting duck. Use Mach Punch, now!"

Grey looked calmly at his opponent as the tables shifted in his favor. "No, Alexander. You can't win now. Sure, not being able to move his hardly convenient. But as your Tyrogue can only hit with direct attacks, he has no choice but to move into Flicker's range. Not only that, but your Pokémon isn't strong enough to break his shell. Now Flick, finish this with Bug Bite!" The bug chewed a hole in his casing just in time to catch the fist in his teeth. As he clenched down on his attacker, the Pokémon crumbled to the ground, crying out in pain.

"Ahh! Tyrogue come back!" A now flustered Alexander called out, withdrawing the Pokémon into it's ball. Looking at Grey, he quickly fled, wordlessly leaving Houndour behind.

The Fire-type walked out of the net, having already chewed his way out. "Look at that. I didn't even need to come save you, did I?" Grey laughed, as he picked up his newly evolved starter. Houndour snorted out smoke, brushing off the joke as they walked back to the Pokémon Center.

Arriving at the Center a few minutes later, Grey caught Blair standing outside. "Blair!" He called out, running over to him. "Thanks to your help, not only did we get Houndour back, but Flicker evolved!" Grey grinned happily, waving his Metapod in his arms like a trophy.

"That's great!" Blair responded with a genuine smile. "I need to catch my train, but I wanted to give you something before I left." The counselor handed the fellow teen a bag containing five Pokéballs. "You said before that you didn't have any right? It's hard for a new trainer such as yourself to budget, so you can take these. Take care, Grey."

"Thanks, Blair… Where are you headed?"

Once again laughing without purpose, Blair responded "I don't know, I haven't decided. The train's on the other end of town, so I suppose I have a few minutes to pick. See ya!" With that, the boy walked off into the distance.

Grey and his Pokémon stared blankly at Blair as he walked towards the sunset. "He's certainly a weird guy." The trainer finally commented after a silent moment. "Let's head inside and eat guys. Tomorrow, we head to the Skeletal Canyon!"


End file.
